Waiting for the Sun to Shine
by Karretje
Summary: After all the things that happened, Stef and Lena fear that drama has found Callie once again. Will they be able to figure out what is going on before to much damage is done?
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first story for The Fosters, so I hope you will like it! It is mostly Callie and Stef centered, but I will do my best to add the other characters in it as well. Ideas and or Tips are very welcome and I will do my best to use them. This chapter is a bit short, but I used it as an introduction to the story. I will try to update a longer chapter later this weekend. Also, please keep in mind that English is not my first language. **

* * *

Stef approached the house around dinner time, with her wife and all kids whirling around the kitchen. It had been a long day at work and she was glad she had the next day off. With all the drama's with their children and Lena loosing their baby she found it more and more difficult to face the every day drama at work. She couldn't think of having any other job since police work was truly her passion, she only wished she had a different passion at this moment in her meeting her family in the kitchen, she went up to their room to change in something more comfortable and to wash off the things she saw that day on duty.

In the kitchen Lena was cooking dinner for her family when she heard the door and footsteps on the stairs. She was relieved to hear Stef coming home since she wanted to speak to her about something that was bothering her. But Lena also knew it had to wait until they had some privacy, which was a difficult thing in this house. Maybe she would just put a movie on after dinner for the kids so they had some time alone, but as a vice principal she knew that homework better be done before the tv went on.

When Stef walked into the kitchen Lena felt relieve coming over her, Stef always had that effect on her. 'Hey honey, you are just in time for dinner." Lena said while giving her wife a kiss. She felt her wife's eyes exploring her face while she did so and before giving her a reply.

Stef then turned to their 5 kids while greeting them and checking them all over as she had done with Lena. Her eyes a lingered a few seconds longer on their oldest daughter before she stopped her scan and took place at the kitchen table at the same moment Lena had placed the last pan on the table.

'So how was school?' Stef asked to no one particular. Mariana, as usual, was the first to speak up. 'School was fine but dance class was great. We tried out a few routines and ended up with some amazing moves. One move was kinda tricky, but at the end of the class Tina helped me to master it. I just can't wait to our next performance.' Mariana rambled on. 'Haley was pissed though' Mariana added. 'Because someone hasn't texted her back…' she said while giving her twin brother a meaningful glance.

Stef couldn't resist a smile and noticed that Brandon and Jude could hardly control their laugh as Jesus was squirming in his chair. Stef didn't like this Hayley girl at all, but she let Jesus handle it on his own. It would be good for him she thought. ' So how was your day.' Stef directed her question on Callie. From Lena's look when she had entered the kitchen she knew something was bothering her wife, and usually it meant that something was up with the kids. She didn't liked to admit it, but her first guess was Callie. Callie, who was sitting at her left, just gave her a shrug without looking up from her plate. It was a gesture Callie used a lot in the beginning, but she had come a long way since and Stef wasn't going to let Callie get away with it. However she didn't wanted to say anything with the other kids in the room either. It would only close her more off. She glanced over to Lena who had witnessed it all and they gave each other a nod. Without talking to each other they had both shared their concerns.

* * *

After dinner Stef had put Marina and Jude to cleaning up the kitchen while she let Brandon go to band practice and send Jesus up to his room to do some homework. Callie went up to her room as soon as she could. 'So did something happen at school' Stef asked Lena while they entered their bedroom. 'I don't know.' Lena said while she picked up some clean laundry to fold it, but stopped halfway and stared ahead. 'When school was out I asked her to hang around for another 10 minutes for me to get my stuff and drive her home, but she just couldn't wait to get out of that place and started walking home instead. I don't know if something happened or if she is just lonely at school. She has no friends there or any interest in school activities, but that's nothing knew. I just get the feeling something is bothering her. A new issue.' Lena sighed trying to explain her concerns to her wife. 'Did you try talking to her?' Stef asked her, wondering what it would be this time. 'Yeah I did, she just shrug me off as she did during dinner. I though maybe you could talk to her. I think she will open up more to you.' Lena answered. 'That's not true!' Stef replied back 'She trust you just as much as she trust me' Stef added. 'Oh I know that honey, I didn't mean it that way. It's just that you and Callie are much alike and I think she feels that to. And she finds it more difficult to keep her strong face on when you make her look into your eyes.' Lena reassured her with a soft smile.

A couple minutes later Stef knocked on their daughters door and entered the room when she heard Callie saying to come in. Callie was on her bed half sitting up doing nothing in particular. 'Hey love' Stef greeted her while she took a place on her daughters bed so she could face her. 'I just taught to ask you again how school was, since I didn't got an answer earlier.' she said with a soft and gentle voice. She didn't wanted Callie to think she was angry at her. Callie who had been looking down at her hands lifted her face up to Stef and was almost tempted to give another shrug as a reply. However Stef raised her eyebrows to warn her off and Callie looked down at her hands before answering. 'School was okay.' she said without much emotion. 'Mama told me you couldn't wait to leave school grounds.' Stef said trying a different technic. 'Could you tell me why that is?' Stef asked her. 'I just wanted to go home.' Callie replied. 'But did something happen at school, did one of the kids say something to you?' Stef tried again. She knew Callie was an easy target at school. The last months have proved that and she wondered if they shouldn't have put Callie in a different school. 'No one said anything to me, they never do.' Was Callie's short reply. 'Callie…' Stef started, but before she could continue Callie broke her off. 'I just don't like school okay!.' It came out with some unusual attitude. 'I need to do homework.' Callie added while jumping off her bed to pick up her backpack. She gave Stef a look as to ask her to leave. Stef slowly stood up and walked over to Callie, who gave her an uncertain look. 'We are down the hall waiting for you when you are ready to talk.' Stef said before giving her daughter a kiss and leaving the bedroom.

* * *

'And?" Lena said as soon as Stef entered the bedroom. The laundry was almost folded and piles of clothes where sitting on their bed. It was unbelievable how much laundry five teenagers would throw in the hamper each week. 'She didn't say much, but I'm not less concerned. If this is just a fall back from everything that has happened to her in the last…, well in her whole life I think we can handle it. But I swear, if a new drama has found a way in her life I'm going to build a big house filled with fluffy pink things and puppies and kittens and lock you al up into it for the rest of your lives. Guarding the door myself.' Stef said with more emotion then usual in her voice. Lena stood up to pull her wife into her arms and give her a big warm hug. 'That's a deal.' she said, 'I just don't think the boys would like fluffy pink stuff much.' she added to bring a small smile on Stef's face.

* * *

Later that night Callie was lying in bed, twisting and twirling. From the sigh coming from the other side of the room Callie knew her sister couldn't catch sleep either, probably from the noise Callie was making. She just couldn't stop thinking about earlier that day. She new she must have interpreted it wrong, it couldn't be otherwise, but it didn't reassure her. She never like school much with all the gossips and starring. The kids there knew a bit to much about her and they rather didn't have anything to do with her. When she and Wyatt were on speaking terms it was easier, but even without him she would get through the day. One of her siblings usually checked upon her during the day and the teachers were mostly cool. Then there was Lena, she was alway close by in case she needed her. So she never felt unsafe at school, maybe unwanted but not unsafe. Now she wasn't so sure anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys, I want to thank you all a lot for reading this story! I was overwhelmed by all the reviews, followers and favorites! I also want to thank Bee for the tip of using line breaks between quotations. You were right, it looks much better :). I hope you like the direction this story is going to. I must say that I found it a bit difficult to write this subject. Again, tips and ideas are alway welcome.**

* * *

The next morning Stef walked through the house grouchy. She didn't catch much sleep last night, which wasn't quit unusual, with five children there was always something to worry about. While she was preparing breakfast for the seven of them she heard the kids getting up and the shower starting to run. By the time Lena came down the sound of footsteps rushing on the second floor disappeared under the sound of fists banging on doors and yelling. Lena, who had noticed Stef's mood, made a gesture towards her wife to stay put and turned around to walk back up the stairs. In the hallway stood her youngest daughter banging on the bathroom door.

'Come on get out! I need to do my hair. Get out!' she yelled while giving an extra bang on the door to get probable one of her brothers out of the bathroom. It was clear that Stef wasn't the only one who hadn't slept well.

'Mariana, what's going on?' Lena asked slightly annoyed.

'Jesus was in the bathroom way too long, he probably used all the hot water and now Brandon is in there and Jude was there earlier taking a long shower doing I don't know what and I need to do my hair!' Mariana yelled.

'Calm down' Lena said to her hysterical daughter. 'Just go use our bathroom.' and she shoved Mariana in the direction of their room. 'Oh, is Callie up already?' she asked before Mariana disappeared out of her sight.

'I don't know, she was up almost all night keeping me awake.' Marian grumbled and turned around the corner.

'Callie, are you up?' Lena asked while she knocked softly on the girls bedroom door.

'Yeah I'm up.' came the reply a few seconds later.

'Can I come in?' Lena asked her through the door.

'Sure.' was the short but also hesitant reply. When Lena opened the door and stepped in she noticed the girl sitting on the edge of the bed with her backpack on her lap. She looked so defeated that Lena felt a pang of sadness inside her.

'Baby, please tell me what's going on with you? Mariana said you couldn't sleep last night?' She asked while she sat down next to Callie. Callie slowly looked up to Lena and her big brown eyes revealed a sadness, and for a moment Lena thought she was going to burst out in tears. Then Callie shrugged her shoulders got up and gave an explanation that Lena surely didn't believe.

'I'm just a bit nervous for turning in my english essay.' she said.

'Okay, well come down for breakfast when you are ready.' Lena told Callie while she gave her shoulders a squeeze. While she did so she felt Callie's muscles tense under her hands. In the beginning when Callie and Jude came to live with them she would always tense or even back away from a physical touch. But Callie came a long way since, so her reaction surprised Lena. She waited a minute and then turned slowly around and walked back downstairs. She wished she could force Callie to speak up, but didn't want to scare her off more.

Callie could only hold her tears until Lena walked out of her room. She sat back on her bed and grabbed a hold on her backpack as she had done before. Just like last night she could only think of what had happened during Algebra. It had never been her best class and surely not her favorite, but it wasn't until yesterday that she didn't want to go to that class anymore. She still wasn't sure if it really had happened, but her intuition and experience from the past warned her to stay away from this class. Callie closed her eyes and with a shudder her mind went back to the previous day.

_'__So -13x + 34 = -5, who can tell me the solve for x?' Matt, her Algebra teacher turned around as he had wrote the math problem on the board. He glanced around to see if anyone could tell him the correct answer. Callie ducked her head quickly in her Algebra books. She didn't wanted to be picked to answer the question. Not only she didn't knew the answer, she also didn't wanted the attention directed to her. Matt was a good teacher though, he had given her some sheets with some easier explanations on how to solve the math problems. Lena always boosted that, maybe beside Timothy, he was the best teacher around. She thought very highly of him, she had told her when Callie came home with these sheets. Slowly Callie's thoughts came back to the class and she noticed there were more equations on the board and she saw the other students bowing their heads over their workbook. She hadn't realized that she zoned out so long. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulders and her teacher whispering in her ear ._

_'__Here, let me help you out a bit, Callie.' Matt said while he gave her a small squeeze. He bend over her and wrote something down on her workbook and started to explain something. Callie however wasn't able to focus anymore as she felt his hand going from her shoulder to the lower of her back. He did it very slow and a shudder went through her whole body. It was impossible for him not to notice the shudder, but his hand kept in place at the lower of her back. The uneasy feeling started to change into panic and her breath became more heavier and her vision a bit blurry when he suddenly took his hand away and stood up. The rest of the class she worked on keeping her breath even and telling herself that it was nothing and that he didn't mean anything to it. However, the remaining of the day she felt uneasy._

With another shudder Callie got up from her bed and walked to the now available bathroom to brush her teeth.

* * *

Lena was driving silently to school with her five children in different moods. Mariana was still cranky and she made a mental note to send that girl to bed early. Jude however was sitting in the middle in the backseats with a huge smile on his face. After Mariana's comment earlier, she didn't really want to think to much about what made him smile like this. Brandon was drumming his fingers while mumbling a song he was practicing on and Jesus was shifting in his seat, showing the signs of his ADHD. Callie was sitting silently with her eyes close and pale face. With evidence under her eyes of her lack of sleep. She and Stef had discussed about what to do. They really didn't knew how to handle this the best. They were still hoping that it would be a silly teenage thing and in that case they didn't wanted to make a big deal out of it. Callie deserved some peace. But on the other hand they were scared that it was something big. If she would only have a few friends in school, she thought to herself.

When they all stepped out of the car Lena told their kids to have a good day and to behave.

'Oh and Callie, don't forget mom is picking you up right after school for group therapy.' She said to the girl and gave her kiss.

'And come to my office if you need anything.' she quietly added so the other kids couldn't hear it. She received a single nod from the girl before she slowly walked in the direction of the building.

* * *

The first hour in school wasn't that bad. The teacher made them watch a documentary about war and at least for that moment it gave Callie the feeling that her problems were very small compared to things like war. But during her second class, english, she got bored and it brought her thoughts to her Algebra class. Algebra was right after lunch and she was playing with the idea to call herself sick during lunch. But she wasn't sure if Lena was going to believe that. She would wait until lunch and decide then what to do, she thought to herself.

'Callie?' Timothy suddenly called her name. He gave her a slight annoyed look and Callie quickly sat up a bit straighter and gave him a smile. She had to be careful, her grades weren't that great and she couldn't afford a bad note from a teacher. Now more then ever she wanted to be out of high school as soon as possible.

Even tough time went by excruciatingly slowly, lunch came way to soon and Callie still wasn't sure what to do. She knew she would get into trouble for calling sick while she wasn't and she still believed she could have been wrong about yesterday. So she went outside to take a fresh breath and wait for lunch to be over.

Brandon saw Callie sitting by herself on a bench near the beach and went over to sit with her. School had always been a quit place to him. Before and after school he would be practicing music, the same for the main part of his lunch time. Now he mostly only practiced at home and with the band and he found that being 'popular', only due to the band, wasn't as easy. People would constantly ask him about his next gig or wanted to talk over the previous one. It had been fun for a few weeks or so, but he slowly started to want for his previous quiet life again. It could be to quiet though, he thought to himself when he glanced over to Callie. If she wasn't sitting with one of their siblings she would be sitting by herself. It was a bit hard to admit, but he wished she and Wyatt were still together.

'What's up?' He asked casually. The only reply came in a shrug. Suddenly he understood his moms when they got frustrated when the teenagers would give answers like that.

'You know, if somethings is bothering you, you can tell me, right?' He asked a bit hesitantly, Callie had trusted him before, with saving Jude and Liam. But he also knew that a lot had happened and things changed between them. He didn't feel like that anymore and the same goes for Callie as far as he knew.

'Yeah, I know.' Callie answered. But he wasn't sure if she meant it. He just gave it another try.

'Because your my sister and I want you to be happy and safe.' He said to her and Callie gave him a small smile.

'Actually, as I'm the oldest it's my job to make sure all my brothers and sisters are happy and safe.' He added with a smile.

'It's not easy you know, I have four of them. But nonetheless it's my job and I take my job seriously.' Now Callie had to laugh. It was the least he could do.

'So…' He started to be serious again. 'If whatever is bothering you don't want to go to moms, you can always talk to me.' He looked at her to see her reaction.

'Thanks.' She said nervously. 'But I'm really fine.' She added in a whisper.

'Okay.' Brandon said and he nodded before taking a bite of his lunch. There wasn't more he could do and honestly he didn't dare to ask further.

* * *

Stef was driving herself crazy. Roberts had demanded she would take a day off due to all that had happened in the passed year, but also due to the pressure there was on police officer. It wasn't uncommon, every cop would be asked to take a personal day once in a while and she didn't mind. There was always something to do in or around the house. It was just that Lena had made her promise to really make it a personal day. With other words, reading, watching tv or getting a hobby were allowed. Cleaning, worrying and fixing things were off limit. So this morning she had done groceries (she was pretty sure Lena didn't see that as a hobby, but actually she really enjoyed doing groceries as long as she would go by herself). And she washed the car (sunbathing she called it). Then she made herself a nice lunch and took the time to sit down and eat it while reading the paper. But now it was not even one o'clock and she had no idea what to do with the rest of her day off. She was glad she would take Callie to group therapy, at least that meant she only had to be bored for another 2,5 hours. The problem with no distraction was that she went back to being the concerned mom and wife she always was. So she did her best and picked up one of the books Lena put down on the table for her and started to read for a full 1,5 page before her thoughts were directed towards one of her children.

* * *

Callie was sitting in her Algebra class and ten minutes had gone by without anything out of the ordinary happened. She tried to listen to everything the teacher said so there was no excuse for him to go over to her. She couldn't follow what he was saying though. It may looked like she was paying attention, but her only thought was to get out of this class so her eyes swifted every minute or so to the clock on her left. Another ten minutes had gone by and Matt, her teacher, was walking through the classroom while everyone was working in their workbook. Callie wanted so badly to write the answers down, but as he came closer she just couldn't focus or think at all. When he stopped to check the workbook of her classmate in front of her she just wrote a few numbers down so her page wouldn't be blanc. As he straightened and took a few steps over to her desk she bit her lip and was chanting in her head for him to continue walking. Off course he didn't and he stopped at her desk and took a look at here workbook as he had done with the other students in front of her. Callie scanned over the class but no one was noticing her or Matt. Her whole body went rigid when she felt his hand on her shoulder again and while he was checking her workbook she hold her breath.

'How did you came up with these answers?' Matt asked her while he squat down next to her. His hand moved down with him as well and rested on the lower of her back. Callie didn't say anything and tried not to move a muscle. Matt took the pencil out of her hand and when his hand touched hers they started to shake.

'It's okay that you don't get it, I will help you out with the first ones and you can do the rest.' He said while writing down the first equation out of her textbook into her workbook. Since Callie was still shaking a little bit he started to move his thumb on her back in circles. The whole time Callie didn't move and was hardly breathing. She stared at her table without seeing what her teacher was writing. She felt bile rising in her throat and she closed her eyes to shut the world out silently waiting for the bell.

* * *

After the last bell Callie jumped out of her seat and walked as quickly as possible out of the building. When she saw Stef in the parking lot she felt pure relieve. She was afraid that she might had to wait. She quickly stepped in the car and felt a sudden urge to hug her mom. She didn't however, it would have made her mom worry even more. She already could see a worried look on her face.

'Hey love.' She asked. 'How was school today.'

Callie couldn't give her a verbal reply, to afraid the tears would come, so she just nodded and quickly looked out the window. Almost pushing the car forward out of the parking lot.

'That bad, huh?' Her mom said and she felt her hand on her own while she drove off. Callie immediately felt more at ease and slowly turned to her mother.

'How was your day off?' With a small voice she asked to divert the conversation into another direction.

Stef smiled softly over to her daughter. Callie was doing her best to be brave, but Stef saw right through her. From the fear in her eyes to her lightly shaking hands it was all clear that her and Lena's concerns were true. For the millionth time this year she wished she could have peek in Callie's mind. They had been working so hard on earning her trust that she felt frustrated that after all they had been through Callie still was to afraid to confine in them. She was still holding Callie's hand when she started to pull over in the parking lot of her group therapy. At least the grip Callie had on her gave Stef some confidence that Callie did at least trust her a bit.

'Hey baby.' Stef started when she turned the ignition off. She was still holding Callie's hand tightly so she wouldn't get out immediately.

'You can tell us over and over that you are doing just fine, be we know you honey. And we know that your are far from fine. And I think that it is very important for you to start to talk to someone. So if it's something you find hard to talk to us, maybe you can talk about a bit in therapy. Maybe it would help.' Stef said softly to her daughter. Callie's brown eyes had filled with tears and she was biting her lip to control them. Stef used her free hand to tug her hear behind her ear and then pulled Callie into a big, tight hug and she felt Callie's arms wrap around her tightly. After a few minutes Callie stepped silently out of the car and Stef stayed in the parking lot waiting for therapy to be over.


End file.
